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  • Clinical Techniques
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The tuberculin skin test in monkeys

Lab Animal volume 45, pages 331–332 (2016)Cite this article

A Publisher Correction to this article was published on 24 February 2022

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The tuberculin skin test (TST) is the primary screening tool used in monkeys to identify animals with a primary infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis or M. bovis. Here, I present a description with images of best practices for conducting the TST in anesthetized monkeys.

The TST for monkeys is comprised of an intradermal injection of 0.1 mL of mammalian old tuberculin (MOT) placed in the middle of the upper eyelid adjacent to the edge of the lid (free margin). An upper eyelid injection allows for observation of a reaction at 24, 48 and finally at 72 hours post injection, generally without having to use sedation again after the TST. Observing and grading of reactions has been previously described1. In cases where a reaction is suspected but difficult to observe, the animal should be re-sedated to improve observation and allow for palpation of the injection site2.

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Figure 1: The needle should approach the eyelid skin bevel up at a shallow angle.
Figure 2: The needle should penetrate beneath the epidermis, but above the dermis.
Figure 3: Inject the tuberculin in a slow and steady manner.
Figure 4: Injection technique in the abdominal skin is similar to the eyelid.
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7: Mark the area injected on the abdomen.

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References

  1. Abee, C.R., Mansfield, K., Tardif, S. & Morris, T. (eds.) Nonhuman Primates in Biomedical Research: Biology and Management. (Elsevier, London, 2012).

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  2. Panarella, M.L. & Bimes R.S. A naturally occurring outbreak of tuberculosis in a group of cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). J. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci.49, 1–5 (2010).

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  1. Buckshire Corporation, Perkasie, Pennsylvania

    Matthew Panarella &  Victoria Hampshire (Column Editor)

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  1. Matthew Panarella
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  2. Victoria Hampshire
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Correspondence to Matthew Panarella.

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Panarella, M., Hampshire, V. The tuberculin skin test in monkeys. Lab Anim 45, 331–332 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban.1086

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